Israeli army withdraws armored vehicles from Gaza border area

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The Israeli army has started withdrawing armoured vehicles from positions near the Gaza border, as a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians holds.
The Egyptian-mediated truce took effect on Tuesday evening.
The agreement calls for an indefinite halt to hostilities, the immediate opening of Gaza's blockaded crossings with Israel and Egypt, and a widening of the territory's fishing zone in the Mediterranean.
A second stage of the truce scheduled to take effect next month calls for Israel and the Palestinians to discuss the construction of a Gaza sea port and Israel's release of Hamas prisoners in the occupied West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced strong criticism in his country's newspapers over a campaign in which no clear victor emerged.
Israel said it dealt a strong blow to Hamas, killing several of its military leaders and destroying its cross-border infiltration tunnels.
Palestinian health officials say 2,139 people, including more than 490 children, have been killed.
Israel's death toll stood at 64 soldiers and six civilians.

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